


Timing

by Ekala, kitarin



Series: retreating in covers and closing the curtains [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-14 15:27:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9189362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ekala/pseuds/Ekala, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitarin/pseuds/kitarin
Summary: Late.Noctis was many things, but late was not usually one of them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> (pre-game)

Late.

Noctis was many things, but late was not usually one of them.

Gladio found himself sitting on the floor, greatsword beside him, staring at the door with growing worry. He was probably more peeved than he needed to be, but - well, he enjoyed these sessions with Noctis and he had thought Noctis enjoyed them too.

What could have caused him to be late? He should've just been coming from school, like normal... Picked up by Ignis now, if he recalled, who would be even stiffer than he about this kind of thing, so why...?

The door to the training room burst open a little more forcefully than usual to reveal Noctis, sword already in hand, who glanced up at the clock with flushed cheeks that made it clear he'd run all the way here from the entrance where Ignis had dropped him off. Even though he was only a few minutes late, it was already worse than that - he'd been forced to change out of his school uniform in the back of the car, which he hated doing, and had to endure Ignis' disapproving silence over his 'lack of timeliness' the entire ride here.

Still, it wasn't enough to dull his actual deep down good mood, so he tried to shake it off, straighten himself up, and approach his longtime trainer and friend as the crown prince ought to... with respect. "I humbly apologize for my tardiness and hope you can forgive my making you wait." The words were polite, rehearsed, and just a little rushed, making it clear that there was a lot on his mind, but Noctis didn't offer any further explanation.

Explaining would mean... actually thinking about _why_ he was late, and this wasn't the time to be thinking about those sorts of things, as hard as it was to pull his mind from them.

Gladio stared up at him for a few moments, studying more than angry. Noctis was rushed, but not as irritated as Gladio had expected. Couldn't have been a teacher, then - or anything bad. A friend, maybe? And with no explanation? Well, that wouldn't do.

"I suppose I can forgive you." Gladio hefted himself up, falling into a defensive stance and smirking. "...if you manage to land a regular hit on me today. None of that magic garbage."

“I'm hardly ever late," Noctis protested immediately, defending what he knew very well was a polished track record. After all, it'd been a long time since he and Gladio had worked out the issues that once made him avoid training, and although they'd once been frustrating, these sparring sessions together tended to be his release point these days.

"Magic garbage," he scoffed as he readied himself, circling the taller man cautiously. "...you're always on about being able to defend myself without my magic, but I can't see that ever happening." It was hard to believe such a thing could happen, since his magic was as much a part of him as his eyes or his hands, but he wasn't about to waste time arguing. Besides, he owed Gladio a little for being late and didn't want him to think he was ungrateful either.

But Gladio knew better than anyone than Noctis only skipped out when something was actually wrong, which made his behavior all the more suspicious. Still, he tried to put that aside. It wasn't his place to pry into Noctis's private life, even though he considered them friends. Or perhaps especially because he did. "Don't make it a habit. Just because you have an advantage doesn't mean you should rely solely on it." Gladio watched him carefully, keeping Noctis in front of him. "I can't just brute force my way through battles, either." Besides, it was fun to tease him. A riled Noctis always presented a better challenge.

"I won't, I won't..." But Noctis couldn't bring himself to actually promise it, lunging in for a far too slow strike that missed completely. It wasn't entirely his own fault that he'd been late, after all, but even though it would have been more convenient and maybe even more fair to blame Prompto, he wasn't sure he could do that at the moment and keep a neutral expression.

Missing so completely only embarrassed him further, and he lunged again - faster this time, but sloppier, and still a miss. "...so if _you_ can't brute force it, what makes you think _I_ can?" The words were sharp and snappy, mostly out of his own frustration and distraction. 

“What's with that timing?!” Gladio easily dodged, concern growing. This wasn't like Noctis at all. He was bratty, sometimes, but this was – distant? "I didn't tell you to brute force it. I told you to not use magic." Gladio swung, tapping Noctis on the shoulder with the flat of his blade before backing off again. "You've got a good head on your shoulders - Use it."

"...use my head..." Noctis mumbled the words, though it was hard to tell whether he was answering Gladio back or just talking to himself. "Focus..." But the more he tried to watch Gladio's movements, the more he tried to read the flow of the battle... the more his mind kept flashing him other analyzations, other movements, other thoughts, other feelings, instead...

Noctis' hands glowed warm against the hilt of his sword in tandem with the warmth of his thoughts, past and present all mixed up. _Watch his eyes. Should I move first? Should I wait for him to move instead?_ Prompto's blue eyes gazing into his, wide with surprise, contrasted with Gladio's darker eyes, narrowed in concern... His approach was smoother this time, and yet he aborted what was a good final attack at the last moment, nearly forgetting what he'd only just been scolded for... stumbling a step or two instead, purposefully missing to hide that he'd been about to use another spell.

As Gladio continued to easily dance around Noctis's attacks, his irritation grew. Noctis was far faster than him, and should've been able to land a hit easily by now, and yet he seemed entirely unable to focus. Gladio hit him straight in the back as he stumbled by, just hard enough to sting for a while. "Focus!! You won't get any of my forgiveness like that!"

Gladio's hit vibrated through Noctis physically and emotionally, as he could hear the irritation in the other's tone, and the pain of both gave him something to latch onto, something to wrap his focus around. Backing off again, he breathed deeply, forcing himself to shelve everything from earlier that afternoon that was tangling up his mind.

This time, he attacked with purpose and determination, refusing to let his fighting be clouded with anything besides what was happening. Gladio was right to be frustrated with him - out in the field, getting distracted, being unfocused... it could easily cost anyone their life.

Gladio couldn't help but grin as Noctis finally picked up the pace, actually needing to pay attention himself to avoid Noctis's blade. He forced the prince to work for it, dancing around him for another minute or two before Noctis finally managed to scrape a hit in on his arm. He immediately disengaged, backing off and rolling his shoulders.

"That's more like it. Guess I can forgive you now." His joking tone faded away as he continued. He wasn't supposed to pry, but... this was an official training matter now, wasn't it? "....so what's got you so scattered anyways?"

Noctis offered him a smile in response, but it was completely devoid of any of his usual cocky pride. "Good..." He allowed himself a moment to also relax and roll his shoulders, and then the extra excuse of bending over to stretch out his back too, purposefully avoiding Gladio's probing gaze. "Me? Scattered?" he deflected swiftly, probably too swiftly, and so he awkwardly tried to follow it up, "Nothing. It's... it's nothing."

Gladio just continued to give him a skeptical look. "Hasn't Ignis taught you how to lie yet? I hear that's an essential skill for you politicos." He shook his head and shrugged, twirling his sword around. "Well, you can talk to me if you want. Or I can kick your ass around for a while to get your mind off of things. Your choice, really."

Gladio was really hoping he'd choose the first one, though. He'd never seen Noctis this preoccupied, not even when Luna's dog showed up for a chat that one time.

"I'm not lying..." Noctis straightened up again and met Gladio's skepticism with a frown, followed by a shrug... and then a faint flush in his cheeks, because he also knew he wasn't being especially forthcoming. "I just... I don't know." It wasn't that he hadn't gone to Gladio before about different things, when he was frustrated with his father or tired of Ignis being on his case about his studies, but... this was _different_.

It would be much easier to just take Gladio up on his offer of kicking around, but at the same time... there wasn't really anyone else he could talk to about what had happened this afternoon. He could write to Luna, of course, but it might be days or weeks before he got a response. Indecision painted across his features, he shifted uncomfortably back and forth, finally settling on a vague gesture with his sword. "We should... just... I guess...?"

Gladio watched the wide range of emotions go across Noctis's face and frowned a little, slinging his sword over his shoulder. Didn't really seem like Noctis was up for more training, and in the kind of state he was in, he wouldn't get anything out of it anyways.

Gladio was honestly really concerned for a whole host of reasons - not the least of which was that if Noctis wasn't talking to him, he probably wasn't talking to anybody. So instead, he pressed again. "That complicated? What, did you start dating or something?"

Noctis visibly flustered at Gladio's question, his words jumbling as he tried to respond. "Eh? What? No. No! It's not like that! I mean...I ..." It wasn't that it was complicated, not exactly, but it was... new. Unexpected. Uncharted territory... "I'm not... I'm not _dating_ anyone..."

Even saying the word out loud made him feel like an incredibly self-conscious teenager, more like the kids at school, less like his usual too-old-for-his-own-good self. Yet, if anything... today's events proved that he wasn't really a kid anymore at all, even if he hadn't meant for it to happen. "...it... it just sort of... happened?"

Gladio stared for a moment, processing. He'd been joking, but.... well, _fuck_.

He beamed, slapping Noctis's shoulder with his free hand. "Good for you!! Tell me all about them. Gotta hear about who finally managed to woo you because you grew up fine and I'm sure everyone at school knows it." Did he just say that? He wasn't supposed to say that. The fact that he now found Noctis extremely attractive was a secret that he was supposed to be taking to his grave.

_Too late._

"Umm... he's just... a friend from school..." Noctis' words trailed off as he processed the rest of Gladio's rambling and the flush in his cheeks traveled swiftly down his neck. It's not that he hadn't heard the kids at school whispering similar things as he walked down the hallway, but it was different to hear someone he knew and trusted saying it directly to his face. Noctis had no idea whether to be flattered or mortified, but luckily, Gladio kept right on rambling, somehow managing to make things worse. 

"I've actually been surprised you haven't had them falling all over you for ages! Or maybe they have, but you just finally found one you liked? Gotta be something special, then." He was rambling. He should stop. "You can have more than one, you know, if you want. It's not like anyone really cares, even though you're the prince. I mean, you have to eventually get a wife - kids and all that, comes with the job - but beyond that is up to you...." Okay, that was _definitely_ too far, he was stopping, why did he always ramble on most when he had _no idea_ what to say?

"W-wait, how did we get from... dating someone, which I'm NOT, to...to... a wife, and kids?" His childhood memory of Luna in a flowing white dress flickered to mind and crashed sharply into the memory of Prompto's lips pressed hard against his, and then it collided with the idea that Gladio was definitely not flirting with him - definitely NOT - and he finally snapped in exasperation, red all the way to his ears. "It was only a _kiss_!"

Well, it was maybe a little more than a kiss, but that was beside the point.

Oh, that _flush_... Gladio stored that image away for a rainy day and decidedly pushed away any other thoughts on the subject. Not the time.

Instead, he slipped his arm further around Noctis's shoulder, pulling him in and lowering his voice. "Just a kiss wouldn't make you late." He put on his serious voice for a moment, continuing. "If you need any advice, help, questions answered, whatever - I'm here. And if they ever try to..."

The epiphany hit him suddenly and he interrupted himself, spinning Noctis around so he could look him in the face again. "Wait, tell me it's that cute blond you've been hanging out with. What was his name again? Perm?"

Noctis was suddenly very aware of how warm it was, tucked under Gladio's arm like this, listening to the soft words in his ear that implied far too much that was far too accurate. His hands were suddenly sweaty and as Gladio spun him, he dropped his sword with a clatter, his eyes widening. "I...."

Regis was always too busy to pay that much attention to what Noctis did with his free time, as long as his studies and his training were up to standard... so to have Gladio connect the pieces properly that quickly was enough to encourage Noctis to crack open his shell just a little. "...it's... it's Prompto," he mumbled, reaching down to pick up his sword, letting it dissipate properly with magic this time instead. "He... he talks a lot, way more than I do. We were walking home together, and I was trying to, well, say goodbye, I guess, and he wouldn't stop talking, and I wasn't really thinking about it, and I leaned in and just..." He waved one hand in the air in a vague gesture instead of finishing the story properly. "I didn't really... think it through? I don't really know _what_ I was thinking at the time, honestly..."

Gladio was absolutely grinning from ear to ear at this point, any protectiveness or jealousy entirely erased by a wave of pride. "You even made the first move." He laughed, letting his own sword dissolve and pulling Noctis in again, ruffling his hair. "I'm proud of you! What a stud! Kid's cute too, like I said. You've got good taste."

"Technically..." Noctis tried to chuckle too, not even sure anymore whether he was more embarrassed over what had happened or Gladio's reaction to it. "But he made a few more...” he finally confessed, “...which is what made me late ." Cute was an understatement when it came to Prompto, but Noctis didn't think he was ready to have that conversation with himself yet, much the less anyone else. 

Ignis - and most of the royals - would probably disapprove of this whole affair, but Gladio couldn't. Noctis was a prince, yeah, but he deserved at least a little bit of a private life. A normal life. And if he was this distracted... "So, you must really like him, huh. You'll have to tell me all about him. Oh, and make sure that he knows if he hurts you in any way I will come after him." Gladio winked and ruffled Noctis's hair again. "Shield and all that."

Trying to simultaneously bat Gladio's hand out of his hair or duck out from under his arm, Noctis flushed yet again at the teasing. "I..." This was opening up a whole line of thought he hadn't even begun to explore, hadn't had time to even talk to Prompto about, considering he'd pretty much pried himself out of where Prompto'd had him pinned to the wall and run off to meet Ignis' car with a hasty 'see you tomorrow at school'. "Not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but... He... he would never," Noctis shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest, though it did little to hide his red face or his soft smile. "He's... loud, yeah, but... also warm. Kind. Sensitive."

Noctis' personal ray of sunshine, but there was no way in hell he was going to say that out loud.

Gladio did let him go at this point, mostly to appreciate that glowing look that came over Noctis's face. "...that's good to hear." He really had it bad..... Gladio would definitely have to find out more later.

But, looking at the clock, he was sadly out of embarrassing Noctis time for the day. "We gotta get you to dinner. Wouldn't want Prompto to make you late twice in one day, right?"

Noctis' gaze snapped to the clock, instantly serious again. "I absolutely _can't_ be late to dinner," he agreed, reaching a hand up to smooth out Gladio's ruffling of his hair. He was pretty sure that he didn't need to say why to Gladio either - having to explain _any_ of this to his father was definitely a huge No Thanks. "Are you...?" he gestured towards the door, uncertain if it was one of the nights where Gladio would join them or if someone else on staff had that duty tonight.

Gladio waved him off, shaking his head. "Nope. Someone else's job tonight." He patted Noctis on the shoulder, squeezing gently and smiling. "Don't panic too much. And if you need someone to talk to, my phone's always on."

“I'll keep that in mind...” Noctis brought his hand up to brush his fingers across Gladio's as they pulled away from his shoulder in an affectionate gesture of gratitude. He actually did feel a little calmer having had the chance to talk about it, and knew he'd be able to get through the rest of the night more easily. “And Gladio...thanks.” Noctis smiled up at him – a huge, warm, real smile that made his eyes light up, and then he turned to disappear through the door.

That smile always made Gladio's chest ache with affection. He waited until Noctis disappeared to chuckle lowly, rubbing at his face, murmuring to himself. "Who's got it bad, again...?"


End file.
